2. analog
  3. 1198677127

How many LPs is enough?

Right-- the answer is "Just a few more..." However, here is where I am and what I'm thinking: The last three times I was in my local used/thrift shops, I came across a few that I was not quite sure if I already had, or whether I had that pressing. I wondered if I need to carry a Blackberry (anathema to my analog way of life) with my collection downloaded so that I could avoid this kind of dilemma.
I only own about 700 or so titles, spanning classical box sets to recent limited-release albums. I realize that this is nothing compared to most of you, but I donate what I upgrade and I sell what I do not enjoy listening to. I maintain an Excel database of what I have, and enter each upon cleaning and test-listening; I don't just buy 'em and throw 'em in a bin. While it is rather engaging to compare, say, six versions of Bolero or Beethoven's symphonies 1-9 to determine which sounds best, am I really going to listen to the other five once this is determined? Likewise, while I own a stereo and mono version, and often an audiophile reissue, of most of my favorite late '50's through '60's jazz, surf, folk, and psych, it usually turns out that one or the other sounds significantly better. My overriding rationale is that I don't really need more than a one-year supply of one title per day. While building my collection, I have enjoyed making the comparisons or searching out the missing performance when it comes to classical, but nobody who I expose to this stuff is interested in making these comparisons-- they want to hear the vinyl magic, so I always pull the superior recording.
Maybe I only need about 300-400 titles of what I consider best of the best. Even when and if I retire and have more free time, I'm not sure that I would listen to more than one LP per day, and this gives me a year of no-repeats. Of course, my husk can still haunt the local thrifts and resale shops for that fifty-cent, mint six-eye Kind of Blue, so long as I immediately sell my two-eye... Has anyone else come to this conclusion? Am I to be immediately and henceforth banished from the Brotherhood of Crusty Vinyl Seekers after having my stylus bent?
morgenholz

Showing 1 response by mapman

mapman's avatar
mapman
21,825 posts
 
Good vinyl recordings are great, but many are inferior by today's standards.

I recently bought a lot of ~ 40-50 albums of interest for ~ $2.00 each, a very good deal.

All were in good condition. A few recordings were top notch (Alan Parsons Pyramid for example). Many were just good or OK.

I suspect many sound better professionally remastered on CD these days, but CDs would cost a lot more and I only have so much time to listen (unfortunately).

I use my Denon CD recorder to transfer cuts or whole albums to CD for flexibility and ease of listening, including in the car when needed.

The Denon-mastered CDs sound as good as the originals to my ears even on my reference system....like vinyl transfered to digital should when done right.

My only concern transferring LPs to CD (other than the time required) is whether the recorded CDs will still work 20-30 years from now. Vinyl lasts and does not seem to deteriorate much or at all under normal conditions. I don't know that the same is true with CD media available for mass home recording.
More to discover